Sunday, May 11, 2014

Answer Me This: On Dinner, Prayer and My Discomfort with Nicknames...

Happy Mother's Day!  And since 3 out of five people in the house seem to be sleeping, I have time to post a second link-up today!  So I'm joining in the fun at Catholic All Year and participating in this weeks Answer Me This questions!

1. What's for dinner?

I have no idea.  It's 2:06 pm in our time zone and still... I've got nothing.  

We were going to do food shopping today, but I'm really thinking that isn't going to fit into the Paul-finally-getting-to-sleep-after-working-all-night-and-then-taking-us-to-Mass-and-then-coming-home-to-help-our-neighbor-move schedule and so I've got to come up with something out of what is already here...  Potato soup maybe?  I have potatoes...  and I have bacon.  Now if I can just get up the energy to peel those potatoes we'll be set.

He really wishes I would just leave his camera alone...
but then he'd miss pictures like this one!
2. What's the last thing you borrowed from someone?

Paul's camera... and then I broke it... and he finally got a new one... and I lost my refurbished one and starting using his while he frequently made comments about how I need to stay away from his camera because I am the killer of all things electronic (especially cameras).  

I don't think it's really that I kill cameras.  I think it's that I hang around little people who are very rough on cameras all day, every day, even though I do my best to keep them out of reach... but what can I say.  They're climbers.  And Patch is obsessed with cameras, remote controls and cell phones.  

3. What is your favorite prayer?

Can't.  Pick.  Just.  One.

Okay, the first that came to mind was the Saint Michael prayer.  And then the Memorare (which I had to google the words to, to figure out how to spell. 

Then I thought about it a bit more and decided that if I were to pick a favorite it would be the one that I carry, folded into tiny squares, in my wallet.  It was my penance once, about three years ago, and I've carried it with me from wallet to wallet since that time:

A Universal Prayer

For All Things Necessary to Salvation

(Composed by Pope Clement XI, A.D 1721)

O My God, I believe in Thee; do though strengthen my faith. All my hopes are in Thee; do Thou secure them. I love Thee; teach me to love Thee daily more and more. I am sorry that I have offended Thee; do Thou increase my sorrow.

I adore Thee as my first beginning; I aspire after Thee as my last end. I give Thee thanks as my constant benefactor; I call upon Thee as my sovereign protector.

Vouchsafe, O my God! to conduct me by Thy wisdom, to restrain me by Thy justice, to comfort me by Thy mercy, to defend me by Thy power.

To Thee I desire to consecrate all my thoughts words, actions and sufferings; that henceforward I may think of Thee, speak of Thee, refer all my actions to Thy greater glory, and suffer willingly whatever Thou shalt appoint.

Lord, I desire that in all things Thy will may be done because it is Thy will, and in the manner that Thou willest.

I beg of Thee to enlighten my understanding to inflame my will, to purify my body, and to sanctify my soul.

Give me strength, O my God! to expiate my offenses, to overcome my temptations, to subdue my passions, and to acquire the virtues proper for my state in life.

Fill my heart with tender affection for Thy goodness, hatred of my faults, love of my neighbor, and contempt of the world.

May Thy grace help me to be submissive to my superiors, condescending to my inferiors, faithful to my friends, and charitable to my enemies.

Assist me to overcome sensuality by mortification, avarice by alms-deeds, anger by meekness, and tepidity by devotion.

O my God! make me prudent in my undertakings, courageous in dangers, patient in affliction, and humble in prosperity.

Grant that I may be ever attentive at my prayers, temperate at my meals, diligent in my employments, and constant in my resolutions.

Let my conscience be ever upright and pure, my exterior modest, my conversation edifying, and my comportment regular.

Assist me, that I may continually labor to overcome nature, to correspond with Thy grace, to keep Thy commandments, and to work out my salvation.

Make me realize, O my God! the nothingness of this world, the greatness of heaven, the shortness of time, and the length of eternity.

Grant that I may prepare for death; that I may fear Thy judgements, and in the end obtain heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

4. What is the oldest thing in your house?

Either the dining room table that belonged to my great great grandmother and grandfather:



Or the Chinese chest in the playroom:

See the chest?  This picture totally doesn't do it justice... at all...
5. What's the best concert you ever attended?

I haven't been to a ton of concerts, but it would have to be between a Tim McGraw concert when I was about 15 and a Barenaked Ladies concert I went to with my best friend in college.

6. Do you have a nickname?

Cam.  

And while I lobbied on and off for it to be my nickname for years, and used it when I started this blog, back when it was a secret blog and I wasn't telling anyone about it much less using my real name, it still feels kind of weird when anyone actually uses it, other than Paul, because unlike my kids who seem to give each other nicknames every two minutes, I'm just not all that used to having one!

1 comment:

  1. That's the favorite prayer I posted too! Your version is a little different than the one I know. That chest is beautiful.

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